Piccolo

Greg Feck and Kim Coronica, from Hawthorn's Crabapple Kitchen, have taken over the ground floor of the new Lido cinema complex at 673-681 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn, which they're turning into a Venetian-inspired bar and dining room called Vaporetto. They hope to open in late July.

Tony and Lina Siciliano and their son Angelo have created a Tuscan haven in East Keilor, with an extensive vegetable garden, vineyard and olive grove. On Sunday (February 8), they'll open Rose Creek Estate to the public, with the estate's wine, olives and olive oil on sale, along with pizza and pasta. Entry is $8 a head (free for children under 16). Details: rosecreekestate.com.au/events

Sparrows cafe in Beaufort, a welcome coffee stop on the road between Ararat and Ballarat, has spruced up its interior and menu. Former Queen Victoria Market trader Cameron Russell took over the old Beaufort garage in 2010 and turned it into Sparrows. He's recently added house-made breads and pastries and a broader a la carte menu, including bangers and mash, and lentil, spinach and roasted vegetable salad.

Josh Murphy, of Fitzroy's Moon Under Water, teams up with Mat Lindsay from Sydney's Ester on a wood-fired lunch this Sunday. Ester picked up the Best New Restaurant award and two chefs' hats in The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide last year. The $160-a-head lunch includes matched Italian and Italo-Australian wines. Details: phone 9417 7700.

Traditional Japanese cuisine Washoku has joined the Mediterranean Diet and the culinary traditions of France and Mexico on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Despite the influence of Western food and eating habits in Japan, Washoku cuisine, based on rice with miso soup and dishes such as sushi, tempura and yakitori, is experiencing a revival.